Talking Book

IMO Stevie is at his best when he does the funky soul numbers. Superstition is one of his most iconic songs, with killer guitar hooks and I love his funky snarling voice. But this album is marred by syrupy maudlin commercial tracks meant to sell records such as You are the sunshine, You and I, Looking for another pure love, and I believe. Yuck. If it had more Superstition it would be a 4 but the dreck pulls it down unfortunately

This is an actual classic album. Stevie Wonder in his imperial period. It is hard to over-praise this record.

Lovely relaxed vocals but the lyrics are too sickly sweet for my tastes and a bit repetitive. Superstition is amazing. Stevie Wonder's real name is Stevland Morris. 3/5

Arguably Stevie Wonder's best album, although I prefer "Innervisions" and "Songs in the Key of Life." Inarguably among one of the 1001 greatest albums of all time. "Maybe Your Baby" is an electro jam that feels contemporary in 2021. "Superstition" is an unskippable track for all people and all times.

I went down the rabbit hole with Stevie Wonder after listening to this.... he has so many more catchy hits than I realized, many that have been covered so many times..... my favorite will always be 'Don't you worry 'bout a thing' but my newest discovery rivals my favorite - - 'Pastime paradise'; I'd never listened to the original, only the cover - Gangster's paradise

For every bit of magic on this album, there's something a little powderpuff about much of the rest of the material. I know we are all supposed to consider Stevie Wonder a genius, but Innervisions aside I'm not sure he's ever hit that kind of consistency. The funk-soul equivalent to Iron Maiden, then; stellar moments and a hogshead of filler

One of my all time favourite songs on this album - Superstition. So was looking forward to this, but i am sorry this song couldnot carry the rest of the album. It mostly sounded like lounge music to me. 2 Stars

This is the album that has "Superstition" on it, the rest of the album is pretty forgettable electronic keyboard and sleepy soulless blabbering. Songs just boring and don't go anywhere, like an essay written to pad length.

Optimistic!

this is one of my favourite albums of all time! a smile came to my face when i saw this was our next album to listen to ! every song unfolds so well together one after another! literally every single song is perfect !!! 5/5

nuh uh. how can this guy be blind. theres no way. now i have no excuse to be shit at anything. im not even blind, only slightly fat. fav songs: youre the sunshine of my life, maybe your baby, youve got it bad girl, blame it on the sun, i believe.

So dope bruh

Typical Stevie Wonder album, Some of the best music ever and some of the most self indulgent crap on the same disk. Loved some of it but hated that I didn't love it all.

I love me some Stevie, and seeing him on this list will likely surprise no one. I think I actually own this record, but hadn't listened to it before today. I own and have listened to Songs in the Key of Life, and Hotter Than July, the latter of which I bought in a head shop in Macomb along with a book on how propaganda was making men's fashion more feminine (I threw away the book, still have the record). Anyway, based on my limited experience with his discography, Stevie's music is super consistent, and a joy. When I go back to hosting game nights again, I will be sure to dust off my copy of Talking Book. My personal enjoyment: 4/5 Did it belong on this list: 5/5

Undoubtedly a genius, sometimes his tracks are just too cheesy. However, when he wants to get funky then his squelching synths and cry baby bass is amazing. Best Tracks: Maybe Your Baby; Tuesday Heartbreak; Superstition

An album of two halves. The well known tracks are some of Stevie's best. The album tracks are a bit bland and dull, frankly. However, any record with a song as strong as I Believe can't be all bad, right? For me, Innervisions is a better record for the cohesion and clarity of purpose.

Absolutely outstanding and unique view of Stevie’s music. Not being super familiar with his work outside of any of the hits, this really helped me appreciate a bit more of the work that I guess was not considered as “commercial” at the time.

this is a perfect album.

Not a fan of soul/R&B and the cheesy schmaltz of the opening track ‘you are the sunshine of my life’ was a terrible start. Sorry Stevie, not for me

Talking Book 5 star banger. Never noticed the sobbing sounds around 1.47 of You are the Sunshine of my Life when he sings ‘lonely’. Great opening track, love the laid back melody, rightfully a classic. Always loved Maybe Your Baby, the tension that the intro and verse build before the relatively subdued chorus is fantastic. I love the Theremin sounding synth on You and I, and the song itself is great, one of his best ballads I think. And I love the whole atmosphere of Tuesday Heartbreak. I don’t know what I’m talking about but it feels like he’s singing slightly behind the beat, giving it an lovely unhurried swing. Love You’ve Got it Bad Girl, not sure why it but it always sounded like California to me. Superstition. Can’t really say anything that’s not been said, but I’d recommend the One Song podcast in this song, the stems from the drums are amazing. Big Brother is another sunny sounding song to me even though it’s quite a bleak lyric, but I love the melody and harpsichord style synth. Blame it on the Sun is probably my least favourite song on the album, but it’s still a very good 70s Stevie ballad. Lookin For Another Pure Love on the other hand is great, one I didn’t appreciate when I first heard the album but now I love. And then I Believe, which is just an utterly joyous and fantastic love song, one of my absolute favourite Stevie songs. Obviously it can’t be anything but a 5, even if a couple of songs don’t quite reach the heights of the others as a whole album it’s one of the greatest ever. 📖📖📖📖📖 Playlist submission: I Believe (When I Fall In Love it Will Be Forever)

When I bought this on CD it was from the "low price oldies" section - for context, that's equivalent in time to buying the first Kayne album today, christ! Lots of interesting synth sounds and squelchy Moog bass (all played by Stevie) decorate some excellent tunes; these are outrageously experimental given how poppy they sound. I love the funky numbers and the sappy ones equally. It's not quite Innervisions, but that's not really a criticism

Beautiful, poetic, loving

Buenísimo

Super funky, enjoyed this one more then I expected.

Great album. I've been listening to it for years. Not new to me.

Absolutely brilliant. A masterpiece companion to Innervisions (all recorded pretty much in one go).

Timeless Stevie Wonder album, no comments needed

Wonderful album from start to finish.

The best record of his career, and a monster of an album with chart hits and influential songs spilling out all over the place. I have always loved this record. I still do.

The two songs opening each side are excellent and very well known hits. For me, Superstition is his best song.  Ray Parker will always be better known for his Ghostbusters song but his  guitar on Maybe Your Baby is top shelf and really works well with the funkiness. Stevie delivers the electric piano and clavinet that makes Tuesday Heartbreak. I've never heard those instruments deliver a cool and funky vibe like this. Stevie's vocals on You and I might be his best on the LP. Jeff Beck's guitar on Looking for Another . . . is also quite good as one would expect from Jeff. I didn't know Stevie for his political songs. Big Brother is quite good and the words "You've killed all our Leaders" are particularly poignant given this album was made less than 5 years after  Martin Luther King and Bobby  Kennedy were murdered.  Different songs on this LP have very different features that make them soar. They are all good songs for very different reasons. An album that pulls this off meets my definition of a 5. As an afterthought, it's a great picture on the cover. 

Beautiful album. It’s like a love-child of funk and country but raised by classical. It’s soft and gentle but also thoughtful. Stevie Wonder has a perfect voice and he also has poignant lyrics. This album delivers pretty heavy stuff like love and heartbreak and rebirth and belief and faith but it’s done so lite and breezy. Stevie Wonder is a genius. Top tracks You are the sunshine of my life Big brother You and I Tuesday Heartbreak Iconic track Superstition

The album starts with calming chords and a soft groove. Then the groove heats up and stays strong. Each song has unique instruments and melodies that keep this a very interesting album all the way through.

The one..the.only...Stevie Wonder

5/5 - Always loved this album; Hell yeah, Stevie

So much soul!

Amazing songwriting and arranging of the music.

Not the only 5 star album, but this is top class.

Super album

really good obv

Funky classic! Superstition!

Imagine being this talented

Awesome! Can't believe I didn't discover him earlier

Dope beats

Brought back memories...

Great

This album is amazing! I can't believe how great Stevie Wonder's music is. What a genius. I can see all the influences he's had on musicians.

The album is elite

Fantastic

Beautiful work by Stevie Wonder

I've been busy so I had to go back to this one. Really loved it stevie wonder is great

I'm familiar with some of his more famous songs because Stevie Wonder is, well, iconic to say the least but never actually listened to a full album by him. Lemme just say I'm kicking myself for missing out and this Aussie gives Talking Book five lamingtons out of five.

Amazing album. It's so easy to overlook Stevie Wonder sometimes, but this album is always worth coming back to.

Great smooth listening

grande stevieeee!

Fantastic!! Now we are getting somewhere. The keys, the funk, and Stevie's wonderful voice.

all the famous songs here are impeccable gems

Excellent Stevie album. Hard to dislike. I'm not so much into the slower ballady numbers, but its not like they're bad. Fave Tracks: Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) 4/5

For me, Stevie Wonder is at his best when he’s funky. The ballads don’t really do a whole lot for me, even though I think they are well produced and usually are pretty gorgeous instrumentally. It’s the funk, though…that sweet, elastic funkiness with the synthetic bass and clavinet. It’s so good. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius. [wipes nose] (That’s a reference that like 4 people will get.)

Стиви Уандер - это наш кротяра

Much of this is unsurpassable. Superstition sits next to Sweet Jane in having a riff that I can conceive continuing forever. There’s schmaltz on here, by my own measure, where the music is not great enough to sublimate lyrical sentimentality. Lookin’ For Another Pure Love is schmaltz; I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) is majestic.

"Superstition" is great, unfortunately canceled out by "Maybe Your Baby." High highs and low lows aside, I didn't love it.

he kinda sound like steve lacy, he kinda look like him in the cover too, steve lacy stole stevie's whole flow. good album. 3.5

Superstition is an all time great song. Shame the rest of the album sounds nothing like it. Not bad, just gives you a glimpse of some of his best work for one song and the rest is mid.

He's boring

Loveeee Superstition so went in expecting to love this hyped up album but a little disappointed by the rest of it! vocals are great and relaxed but a lot of it just feels very shmaltzy sentimental and kitchy… this is more about personal preference I’m sure but the overly soppy love stuff just got samey and boring to me, overall not a bad album by any means great voice and some songs but as a whole expected this to wow me far more

How did I already get another Stevie Wonder album from such an exhaustive list? This one was too slow and cheesy for me, should've been called Blabbering Book. Superstition is good but not enough to carry the rest of the setlist. Maybe alright for chillin' in a lounge but not my cup of tea (too much honey).

Awful

I'm not sure what they hype about this album is. Stevie slowed it down way too much through the vast majority of this. Superstition is miles ahead of anything else on the album. The rest of this is completely skippable.

Part of a chain of like 5 albums Stevie put out that were perfect. It's great.

Album 773 of 1089 Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (1972) Rating : 5 / 5 Just an awesome album. Not a moment wasted listening to this. I think I may prefer this one over his Songs in the Key of Life.. Great tunes...great performance.

Amazing album about love and finding closure in the overthinking and loss of a love interest. Banger after banger, Stevie cooked

Stevie Wonder the goat🙏

It's Stevie

This is a great album. Love the mixture between Stevie Wonder’s vocals and the funky instrumentals. Definitely got me interested in listening to more of his music with the expectation that it’ll be close to this album in style. 10/10

Funk, Soul

Amazing. Truly a spring or summer of love album. 10/10

I'm sorry 1001 Albums Generator I'll never abandon you again

I really enjoyed the chill vibes of this album! Perfect for a Sunday.

Excellent album!

i recall (but am too lazy to check) a potentially apocryphal quote from stevie where he said that innervisions is his best album and talking book is his best collection of songs. regardless of whether its a real quote i do think it hits on somethin! this does not feel as inevitably paced and constructed as innverisions or sitkol, instead the momentum is carried by the fact that every track is a new masterpiece or close to it. this one is particularly ballad-heavy, an ideal match for peak stevie's strengths and producing a bunch of tracks that just make me melt. that it also happens to have superstition, one of the most visceral funk stompers of all time, is almost unreal. stevie makes v comforting music on the whole ofc, but it would be difficult to find a record even from him that creates this much of an unbreakable bubble of contentment

Well I saved more than half the album so I think it just has to be a 5. Like half of those songs are slow songs and that's not me really. They are just too good. And the funky songs are amazing. Superstition is a perfect song. I didn't even realize it was Stevie wonder until emarissingly late. But it's just a part of the culture. It's in every animated movie from 2001 to now. But damn he can play the keys. And probably everything else. The absolute god. This is good. Listen. That is all

Honestly Superstition alone might make this five stars, but fortunately the rest of the album is also a bop.

I knew some of the songs a but most I had not heard before, definitely a nice chill listen and the auto-recommends after were great as well (listened on Spotify).

Some of my favorite songs are on this album. You are the sunshine. I believe. You and I

Such a great album - from such a great artist. Soulful, funky but inspiring.

Everything that ever needs to be said about this album, and about Stevie in the 70s, has already been said.

Stevie being Stevie. Amazing

I struggled with whether this merited four or five stars. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius, but I don't have all of his albums. I did listen to the first episode of the NYT podcast series "The Wonder of Stevie," which I found to be a bit overblown and performative. Not Stevie's fault, however. And sometimes it's hard to forget his middling early 80s output (looking at you, "I Just Called to Say I Love You"). Having said that, this album is a pleasure. Lots of stylistic variety among the songs and, while this is an album of its time, Stevie succeeds in transcending the cliches of the early to mid-70s. And how many songs, really, are better than "Superstition," which I could easily listen to on repeat for hours at full blast on my headphones? If that song were the total of Stevie's legacy, the mark he left would still be impressive.

I knew it was going to be a good day when I was assigned this album. Perfect for the sunshine out today. Groovy, electric, soulful. Getting me right from the first track “You Are The Sunshine of My Life”. What a surprise to get to the middle of the album and recognize “Superstition”. Amazing funky track. Been enjoying the album in its entirety along the way. The ending track resonates with me a lot. His voice is undeniable. Also reading that this album involved a lot of artistic freedom makes me respect the production even more. Definitely an album I’ll keep coming back to.

Really can't go wrong with some Stevie, not quite at the peak of Innervisions or Songs...but still full of funky soulful tunes.

Oh yeah. You already know I know. It’s a classic. Good one.

Very soulful, and nicely-produced.

The album cover had me expecting a different vibe. Stevie is incredibly talented, and really enjoyed this album. Funky, groovy, and def worthy of being on this 1001 album list. Enjoyed the classic hits from this album still being played at almost every good corner bar, at least on Bourbon Street.

Incredibly diverse and well put together album. 5.0/5.0: Iconic

another great album by stevie made even more impressive by fact that he played the majority of the musical parts. the songwriting is solid but the ballads do detract from the funky vibe brought by the use of the moog bass. still an incredibly well crafted album

Så velproduceret og afbalanceret og flere af hans bedste sange. Endnu en 5/5 banger fra Stevies vanvittige 1972-1976 run

Wow. Such depth, i can see how it was so influential on later people (tyler). Want to relisten immediately. The love songs are not nauseating (confident?)

- 5 just for "Superstition" ..... but shit, "Maybe Your Baby" and "Big Brother" are right up there as well. -

My favourite Stevie Wonder record!!! This album deserves 5 stars only for having Superstition on it. That song is such a bop! But all the songs are incredible, and Stevie just has an amazing, smooth and soulful voice overall. The instrumentation is great as well!

Amazing. Listened to it twice in a row. So many tracks have that instantly familiar feel - you’d think they were singles, only they weren’t. Standout tracks: Maybe Your Baby, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever).